Vishnu Som

Army Chief Promises Exemplary Action Against Major Leetul Gogoi If He's Guilty

India News | Reported by Vishnu Som | Friday May 25, 2018

Days after an army officer was detained by the police in Srinagar after a row in a hotel involving a Kashmiri woman, Army Chief Bipin Rawat said today that "strictest action would be taken" if anyone in the army did any wrong.

Weapons Buying In A Shambles, Government Signs Off On Simpler Process

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Tuesday May 22, 2018

Taking note of reports that the process of clearing complex deals to acquire critical weaponry in India was in a state of shambles, the Defence Acquisition Council under Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today cleared a series of measures meant to speed up the process.

As China Sends New Carrier For Trials, India Tries To Play Catch-Up

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Tuesday May 22, 2018

Confronted by the unprecedented growth of the Chinese Navy which has just completed a round of sea trials of its first home-grown aircraft carrier, India has stepped up the pace of completing construction of its first made-in-India carrier being built in Kochi

Putting Out Intercepted Pak Comms During Kargil A Setback: Ex-Spy Chief

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Monday May 21, 2018

Getting a senior Pakistani spy agent based in India to 'turn' or become a double agent would have been an intelligence coup, says AS Dulat, former chief of India's external intelligence agency R&AW (Research & Analysis Wing).

"Daring To Dream Big": The Successful All-Women Crew Of Tarini Returns

India News | Reported by Vishnu Som, Edited by Debjani Chatterjee | Monday May 21, 2018

The team of six naval officers on board INSV Tarini has landed at Mandovi in Goa. This is the first ever circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women Indian crew. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman welcomed the team along with other navy officers. Earlier in a tweet, Ms Sitharaman said she was "honoured" to welcome the Tarini team home.

China Teases Images Of Its First Stealth Bomber

World News | Written by Vishnu Som | Thursday May 10, 2018

Its official - China has a new long range stealth bomber, a rival to the US Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, a futuristic jet yet to enter service with the US Air Force. Both the B-21 and the Chinese stealth bomber, which is likely to be called the H-20, have an easy-to-identify flying wing design.

"Azaadi Won't Happen, Never": Army Chief On Men In Kashmir Joining Terror

India News | Reported by Vishnu Som | Thursday May 10, 2018

Amid worries about the trend of young men turning to terror in Kashmir, Army Chief Bipin Rawat has sent out a strong message - "You can't fight the army, azaadi (freedom) will never happen."

Exclusive: Despite Major Shipyard Mishap, New Frigates To Be Delivered On Time

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Wednesday May 9, 2018

Less than a month after a 250 tonne 'goliath' crane came crashing down in cyclonic conditions, the Chairman of the government run Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata has vowed to complete construction of three state of the art frigates that it is building for the Navy ahead of schedule.

In PM Modi-Congress Sparring In Karnataka, Bloopers In Military History

Karnataka News | Written by Vishnu Som | Friday May 4, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to two of the greatest military heroes from Karnataka at an election rally has led to a storm on Twitter, with many saying he got his facts mixed up. The Congress rushed to suggest that the Prime Minister "brush up on his knowledge of history", but the party did not get it entirely right either. Party spokes...

"No Aggressive Patrolling" Along China Border, Army Told After Wuhan Meet

India News | Reported by Vishnu Som, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Wednesday May 2, 2018

The informal summit at Wuhan between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping has thrown up new guidelines for the military of both nations as part of moving beyond Doklam and "maintaining peace and tranquillity" on border areas. On the ground, it would involve avoidance of "aggressive patrolling" along the border, army sources...

Blog: Modi's Right. Standing Up To China Militarily Won't Work For India

Blog | Vishnu Som | Monday April 30, 2018

If the next set of Google Earth images were to show fresh Chinese construction in the disputed Doklam plateau, there would be likely be front page headlines on "China renews construction in Doklam despite Modi-Xi talks in Wuhan.'

PM Modi, Xi Jinping Hit Reset, Military To Get The Message Too

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Saturday April 28, 2018

The India-China bilateral relationship cannot be held hostage to the differences that exist at various levels and dialogue at the highest levels between the political leadership of both sides can never end - this was the key message at the end of the two-day informal summit between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Wuhan.

Walk By Lake, Boat Ride With Xi Jinping And "Informal" Meets: PM In China

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Friday April 27, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a tour of a museum with President Xi Jinping followed by a 40-minute "informal" meeting between the two leaders on Friday, the first day of an ice-breaking visit to China in which the giant neighbours will seek to re-set a troubled relationship.

"Never Seen Anything Like This": Air India Flight Hit By Major Turbulence

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Sunday April 22, 2018

The pilot commanding the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner' that hit severe air turbulence between Amritsar and New Delhi on Thursday reportedly had "never seen anything like this ever". The incident has been described as a "freak kind of severe turbulence". Three passengers were injured when flight AI-462, a 6-year-old Boeing 787, one of the most mo...

India Could Acquire Killer Drones After Donald Trump Changes US Policy

India News | Written by Vishnu Som | Friday April 20, 2018

India may finally be able to acquire armed drones from the United States that could transform the capabilities of the armed forces not just in strike operations against China and Pakistan over land and sea but also in operations against terrorists.